Romans 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-17; 1 Tim. 2:1-7
Principles from God for Government
1: The normal state of human beings is under government.
2: All people everywhere bear responsibility to honor their government. Government is . . .
3: All people, through giving government its due, honor God.
4: Government’s common sense moves towards the outcome peaceable persons need.
5: Government has the rightful use for avenging punishment and is one of God’s tools to accomplish justice of this kind.
6: People support and participate with government as God’s instrument against evil by giving taxes, respect, and honor.
7: Required by God, governments must praise the good.
Principles for Gospel People, Good for Government
A: Required by the gospel, Christians should defeat ignorant accusations by good actions.
B: Christians must make every variety of prayer for every variety of government minister.
C: Christian prayers recognize how this obedience of government to God prepares a highway for us to spread the gospel.
A Complicating Factor
-Citizens, in the vote, are like government ministers.
A Final Hope
-Once Christ is “all in all” government happens no longer from the outside-in, but from the inside out (1 Cor. 15:24-28; Phil. 3:20).
Jesus brings perfect judgment, exact repayment—and full and free forgiveness. (Rev. 22:12-14)